The Sahara is all set to make a change on November 16 as it closes its poker room for the last time and will put slot machines in its place. The closing of its poker room makes the Sahara the 7th casino on the Vegas Strip to do so, following the likes of the Excalibur, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, and the Flamingo.

The Sahara Hotel and Casino will close the doors to its poker room for the last time on the 16th of November, replacing it with an expanded slot machine area, marking the latest chapter in Las Vegas's evolving gaming landscape. By mid-December, the casino will debut 'enhanced offerings,' including new slot banks featuring "the latest test games from top gaming content providers," according to a statement from Sahara's General Manager, Paul Hobson. This shift showcases the trend among casinos on the Vegas Strip prioritizing high-revenue-generating gaming options over poker, which has seen a gradual decline in casino support over the past decade.

The closure of the Sahara poker room: a growing trend

This closure will make the Sahara the seventh casino on the Strip to permanently shut down its poker tables in the last five years, joining a list of properties that have redirected space once dedicated to the game. The trend began in March of 2020 when Excalibur closed its poker room as the pandemic hit. While initially described as a temporary closure, Excalibur later repurposed the area for slot tournaments. Following suit, the Mirage and the Tropicana also closed their poker rooms around the same time without reopening them. In June of 2020, Harrah's converted its poker room into a nonsmoking slot area, eventually transforming it again into space for electronic table games. By mid-2021, Planet Hollywood and the Flamingo had also closed their poker rooms, allocating the spaces to slot machines, sports fan zones, and other gaming offerings.

The trend away from poker is not unique to the Strip. Other Las Vegas casinos, including the Cannery, Binion's, Club Fortune, and Silver Sevens, have also closed their poker rooms in recent years. Even Green Valley Ranch transitioned its poker space into a sports viewing area, demonstrating a shift toward options that generate more revenue per square foot than poker.

The financial perspective: slots over poker

While poker continues to draw a dedicated following, it no longer enjoys the mainstream popularity it did twenty years ago. Still, the game remains active, with many rooms on the Strip reported to be half-full each night. In fact, the Sahara itself has continued to host four poker tournaments every day, suggesting steady interest. However, from a revenue standpoint, poker does not yield the same financial benefits for casinos as slot machines or table games.

Poker, unlike most casino games, does not provide an inherent edge to the house. Casinos earn income through rake from tournament fees or a tiny percentage from each pot in cash games. However, this revenue model is less lucrative than the profits generated by slots or table games, which provide a higher revenue per square foot, a critical factor for Las Vegas casinos. Additionally, poker rooms tie up space and staff resources for extended periods, as players often engage in hours-long games, reducing opportunities for other patrons to gamble on the main floor.

This drive to maximize profits is also reflected in many casinos' recent push to replace buffets with higher-margin food halls. Once a staple of the Las Vegas experience, the traditional buffet has been phased out across many properties. The logic is similar: buffets generate lower returns compared to upscale food halls, which offer curated dining experiences at a higher price point. Like poker rooms, buffets are seen as using prime casino real estate that could otherwise be allocated to more profitable ventures.

As more casinos close their poker rooms, even venues that retain them have started moving these spaces away from the main gaming floor. Earlier this year, the Venetian transferred its poker room to a secluded spot on the Grand Canal Shoppes' second floor.

What's next? Rumors of Caesars' poker room closing

With Sahara's upcoming poker room closure, some industry insiders speculate that Caesars Palace could be next. Caesars Palace, which has maintained a poker room since it first opened in August of 1966, closed its room in August 2024 to expand its high-limit slot area but has yet to announce a reopening date. If Caesars ultimately decides to remove poker from its property, it would be the fourth property of Caesars Entertainment to do so in just five years, following the closures at Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, and the Flamingo.